1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to a distributed job processing system and method with a plurality of remote job processing locations using information feedback over a network to improve job management. More specifically, the present invention uses feedback information pertaining to a customer, and network and remote job processing equipment to provide value-added capabilities both to an originator of the job, e.g., the customer, and to operators of the remote processing locations.
2. Description of Related Art
The proliferation of high-speed, high-bandwidth-communication over high performance networks has been one of the main factors that have influenced and will continue to influence the way customers and machines interact. For example, Internet users are utilizing that network to communicate and conduct business at rates and in ways not realized by any other communication media.
The present invention employs communications network capability to achieve various advantageous ends. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a document processing system including a server and a plurality of remote processing equipment locations coupled together over the Internet or some similar distributed communication system. A customer submits a document job to the server of the processing system through a customer interface for execution by job processing equipment at one of the remote processing equipment locations. The server includes a controller, a buffer and an input/output port coupled together via a bus.
The document job is characterized by a set of job attributes with each job attribute relating to a manner in which the document job is to be processed by the document processing system.
In accordance with a first exemplary embodiment, a customer submits a job to be processed by the document processing system. The system schedules and routes the job in accordance with the customer""s requested processing attributes. Subsequently, the system polls remote processing equipment locations and provides information about the present state of the customer""s job upon request of the customer and rescheduling and rerouting options that may improve delivery time, cost, etc. If the customer accepts any of the options, the system reschedules and/or reroutes the job based on the accepted options. The system repeatedly polls the remote processing equipment locations to gain information about the present state of the remote processing equipment locations until the job is completed. (It should be noted that the remote processing equipment locations could also broadcast their state information over a network in which case the system does not poll these locations but instead listens to broadcasted state information at specific time intervals. This approach applies to all places in the patent where polling is used as a means of obtaining information.)
In accordance with a second exemplary embodiment, a customer submits a job to be processed by the document processing system. The server of the system then polls the remote document processing equipment locations and receives state information about the capabilities and current status of the locations. The server then formulates a plurality of optional scheduling and routing schemes for the customer to review. The server then schedules and routes the job in accordance with the scheduling and routing scheme selected by the customer. Subsequently, the system polls the remote processing equipment locations, provides information about the present state of the customer""s job upon request by the customer, and reschedules and/or reroutes the job as requested by the customer until the job is completed.
In accordance with a third exemplary embodiment, a customer submits a job to be processed by the document processing system. The server of the system then polls the remote document processing equipment locations and receives state information about the capabilities and current status of the locations. The server then formulates an optimized schedule and routing scheme based on the job attributes submitted by the customer, the state data received from the remote document processing equipment locations and, optionally, information previously stored in the system about preferences and characteristics of the customer. The server then outputs the optimized schedule and routing scheme for review, modification and confirmation by the customer, and schedules and routes the job in accordance with the optimized schedule and routing scheme. Subsequently, the system polls the remote processing equipment locations, provides information about the present state of the customer""s job upon request by the customer, and reschedules and/or reroutes the job as requested by the customer until the job is completed.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention separately enable feedback of job data as it is processed from the remote processing equipment to the customer. The customer can use the data to satisfy himself whether the job has been processed according to his specifications. This allows the customer to provide appropriate feedback to the remote processing equipment based on that data, e.g., remote proofing or job validation.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention separately enable negotiation to obtain guaranteed performance and job delivery. Remote processing equipment location servers have complete real-time information about the loading and operational status of various equipment at the location, the state of media supplies at the location and jobs in queue at the location. The location server may use this information to provide real-time bids about job execution and delivery to customers. Customers can specify job requirements to various locations, obtain real-time bids and negotiate before submitting a job to a particular location for processing.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention separately enable remote customer review of completed jobs. The customer provides a complete description of the job that includes both processing and delivery. Some of the information the job may contain, e.g., addresses of recipients of the executed job, may reside in the remote processing equipment location database. The location validates the content of the job, feeds it back to the customer and obtains his approval or revision before dispatching the completed job to the recipients.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention separately enable real-time job tracking. The remote equipment location server has complete knowledge of the status of a job as it is processed. This information can be relayed to the customer also who can track his job as it progresses through processing and delivery.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention separately enable real-time rescheduling or rerouting of print jobs. Since the customer, a location operator or an expert system may each have complete knowledge of the real-time status of the jobs, each of these entities can replace/revise job processing data before the job is executed.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention separately enable the system to construct and maintain customized job templates. For example, a particular location can provide pre-specified job templates customized to one or more individual customers. These templates may be generated based on similar job submission in the past.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention also separately enable coordination of activity on a plurality of remote processing equipment at a particular location or locations. The availability of the state of all equipment at all locations and supplies in each of those locations allows the system to coordinate the activity of multiple equipment at a location, e.g., using the processing equipment server at that location, or multiple locations, e.g., using the system server.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention separately enable improved inventory control. The availability of an active information feedback control system that spans processing equipment, supplies, and operator and customer interfaces provide a location operator or server with a reliable estimate of inventory. This can greatly reduce costs related to maintaining inventory. The reduction in costs leads to higher profits for the location or system operator/owner and lower costs for the customer. Moreover, pricing of a customer job can be performed in real time based on the inventory of jobs, available equipment and/or supplies at that time.